Chain Runners (Yr.1)
It’s been one year since I discovered the Chain Runners an NFT project minted on the Ethereum blockchain. I became interested in the Chain Runners when I learned about the technical approach around how they created the pixel art. Not only am I a fan of cyberpunk style artwork but a fan of content creators who technically advance the process of creation.
I wanted to use this post to share the truly unique content that the Chain Runners brand has produced in one year. I have organized this post from top to bottom in a timeline format. I will also be shilling my Chain Runner CCO derivatives at the end. ⛓️ 💚
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According to their website, they describe themselves as a Next-Generation Transmedia Cyberpunk Universe.
Chain Runners is a collaboratively built cyberpunk universe owned and influenced by the community. We design entertaining and innovative experiences that span mediums and break convention. We build primitives that are open and free to use. We enable self-expression across the interconnected web of digital spaces now linked by interoperable assets. We make stories – and we invite you to help write them. Run with us, renegade, and see how deep the rabbit hole goes.
Currently the Chain Runners have two NFT Collections.
As Sarah Guo’s writeup mentioned, the team is made up of Mid, Knav, Braindraind, Dozer, and Saint Stereo. A team who has cred from the Blitmap community.
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It all started with 10,000 avatars completely generated and stored on the Ethereum blockchain. A diverse collection of characters powered by a hyper-optimized contract, beautiful pixel art, and rich narrative. We built something we wanted to exist, a world inspired by stories and characters that shaped our taste and interests.
This collection is the genesis of a fictional universe that captured the imagination of thousands and it is forever imprinted on chain.
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When purchasing an NFT, the mint experience is arguably one of the most important aspects of buying into a project. I’ve been through many of them, but few have been as unique and detail-oriented as the Chain Runners Genesis and XR mint experiences.
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The Chain Runners Genesis collection was a fully built, minted, and sold-on-chain collection from the get-go. I strongly suggest reading through this thread assembled by marcelc63.eth, which details the technical steps the team went through to mint the Genesis collection. Truly inspiring to read if you are interested in the details like I am.
• Chain Runners DNA
• Rarity & Weights
• How layers are stored
• How layers are constructed
• Pixel Colors
• Layouting the layersAn example in layman's terms of how this artwork is managed:
Bored ape yacht club assets
• These (jpg) pictures are hosted on a AWS server. If that server goes down so does it’s assets signifying that you cannot access the asset until the server is back up.
Chain Runner assets
• These (svg) pictures are stored directly in the contract living on the Ethereum blockchain. SVG’s are essentially code snippets. These code snippets are able to be accessed anytime by the community. Taking this approach provides a strong eco-system for derivative builders to utilize the assets easily.
If you want to read more about what on-chain artwork is use this link. If you want to read more about why it matters checkout this link.
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Chain Runners is CC0! This means you are free to use the art however you like. We've already seen a number of amazing derivatives created by community members.
Imagine this space as *your* computer on a shared runner network. We believe we’re in a position to create fun, narrative driven experiences that can break convention and we can't wait to build more. Read more here.
Want to read more about what CC0 is?
A CC0 (creative commons – no rights reserves) NFT is a form of copyright that enables the creator to allow their NFTs to be owned by others. CC0 means that anyone can use the NFT for commercial purposes in numerous ways without the need to give attribution to the original artist, team, or creator. Read more here.
A few derivatives by the community.
⛓️ Chain Runners XR Pixelifier
⛓️ LeeRunners
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There is no shortage of integrations this year including Storyverse, Worldwide Webb, Snapchat, Nifty Islands, Hologram, and i’m sure I missed a few more.
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Chain Runners XR (XR stands for Extended Reality) is the newest addition to the Chain Runners Universe. We’re building a player token to be used across the vast web of digital experiences known as the metaverse. Play as your runner and dance between the ever-blurring lines of the physical and digital world. This is the foundation of a 3D Runnerverse.
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As we think about the possibilities of a future metaverse where we have online identities, it’s essential to be inclusive and open to all. This is a true differentiator in my eyes and another example of how the team delivers far past a basic NFT project.
We've created one of the most diverse collections in the space shipping 2 body types for every runner and its up to you to decide how to actualize your runner and tell their story.
This means for our 20k collection we’re producing a total of 40k renders.
One of the most interesting aspects of the original collection was the minimum viable fidelity of the pixel art which let the owner craft their own narrative around the character. In the same spirit of individual expression we let you decide how to customize your runner
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The last thing that I expected the Chain Runners to launch was Studio. Studio, in short, is a design program for 3d models and highlights how the team thinks past NFTs and how they can enable the community with their assets.
XR Studio is the best way to view any Runner in the collection. It’s also a powerful creative tool that enables new ways to express yourself. Animate, pose, and snap high resolution PNGs and bring it into a tool like Figma to create whatever you want. More from the team here.
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Check out the XR Opensea collection for a unique preview experience. I’ve yet to see another collection ship, both the PFP and 3D models.
Not only can the viewer see the PFP token, but they can now see the 3D render, male or female body types, poses, and more from the models directly on marketplaces.
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It’s obvious the team is focused and on a path to bring their vision of a Next-Generation Transmedia Cyberpunk Universe to life.
Interoperable Avatars
XR extends far past the PFP – it’s an evolving avatar system, and your player token in the Runnerverse. This release is the first step in being your Runner in the ever-growing web of the Metaverse, and your avatar is at the center. See more.Gear - Grendades
In the technologically reliant Mega City, magnetic pulse devices are essential tools for any Runner looking to cause a little chaos. EMP grenades - also known as Destabilizers - are a common application of this tech used to disrupt and damage defenseless electronic equipment within a localized blast radius. See more.Gear - Wearables
Take Runner customization to the next level with a growing collection of wearables. Dress for style or identify as one of the many archetypes that will exist in Mega City. Fashion is an important cultural element for any universe. What other items might exist in this world?
Customizable Chain Runner gear available thanks to CCO and the Chain Runner team. Buy “AS IS“ or add your “TOKEN ID” for customization.
CR1 XR Shoes
CR1 Grid Hoodie
This post is not meant to shill the NFT project but highlight the incredible achievements the Chain Runners team has accomplished in one year. I believe in NFT tokens as a technical solution to specific modern-day use cases.
I look at projects such as the Chain Runners as a business and only invest if they meet team, intention, and IP/CCO requirements. IP and CCO specifically play significant roles in my interest. As an artist, I see these as opportunities to build fun products while providing value to the communities.
